Interchangeable-letter electric sign.



J. W. ELLIS.

INTEBCHANGEABLE LETTER ELECTRIC 'SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1910.

Patented July 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. W. ELLIS.

INTERGHANGEABLE LETTER ELECTRIC SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 7, 1910.

1,066,591. Patented July 8,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. ELLIS, 01? DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELLIS NATIONALELEC- TRIC SIGN COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

IrBnoHnNoEABLE-LE'MER .ELECTRIQ SIGN.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913.

Application filed December 7, 1910. Serial 1V0. 596,118.

and State of Colorado, have invented a new and usefulInterchangeable-Letter Electric Sign, of which the following is a'specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric signs adapted todisplay interchangeable sign letters, andthe objects of my inventionare: to provide an interchangeable letter electric sign, comprising asupporting framehaving conductors in circuit with a source of electricpower, and independent removable letters made up of incandescent lampssuitably connected by circuit wires, which wires are also connected tometal clips which are adapted to engage the said conductors when theletters are placed upon the supporting frame, whereby a circuit may beestablished through the said lamps and source of electric power.

Further,'to provide a supporting frame l1&V-.

ing conductor bars-adapted to be connected with a current supply of.high voltage,.and other conductor bars adapted to be engaged by metalterminal clips carried by independent blocks or frames, having lettersoutlined thereon by incandescent lamps, suitably connected by wireswhich are also connectedto the said terminal clips, a suitabletransformer being connected to the high voltage conductor bars and tothe bars engaged by the terminal clips whereby the voltage may belowered to the required lamp power, said letter blocks being removableand interchangeable, and being provided with latch devices for securingthem to the supporting frame I attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a front view of an advertising sign, constructed inaccordance with my invention, letters being omitted to show thearrangement of the supporting frame. Fig. 2, is a rear view of one ofthe letter blocks, showing the manner of wiring the lamps which outlinethe letters and of connecting them with metal terminal clips. Fig. 3, isa front view, in perspective, of a letter block, the lamps beingomitted. Fig. 4, is a rear view of a removable transformer. Fig. 5, isan enlarged transverse sectional view through the supporting frame andone of the letter blocks, showing the manner of connecting the blockwith the conductor bars of the supporting frame. Fig. 6, is adiagrammatic view of the arrangement shown'in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts through the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1- designatcs a letter supportingframe, which in its preferred form comprises upper and lower strips 2 ofornamental molding, which are connected at intervals by bars3. Thesestrips ormoldings are preferably constructcd of galvanized iron, and thebars 3 are preferably channel bars, as shown.

The upper and lower moldings are each formed to provide a back plateportion 4,.

that is adapted to be secured to the channel bars 3, and upon each ofthese plates are secured a plurality of blocks '5, of any suitableinsulating material, preferably fiber. The blocks 5 are preferablypositioned above the channel-bars 3, and securing boltsG are passedthrough the blocks, thew back plates,fl

and the bars, and the heads of the bolts are housed in recesses in theblocks to prevent contact. Upon each set of t-he'blocks' 5"are securedby angle plates '7, pairsaof conductor bars or strips 8 and 9, and thesestrips extend the entire length of the frame of the sign, which may beany required length and width, such signs being especially adapted to beplaced on the tops of high buildings. The conductor strips arepreferably'copper and are arranged to lie edgewise at right angles tothe faces of the blocks 5, and in parallel lines, the conductors 9 beingof greater width than the conductors 8.

The angle plates? are also removably secured to the insulating blocks bysuitable screw bolts 10, the heads of which are housed in recesses inthe'block to prevent contact. The strips or conductors 8 are connectedbycircuit wires 11 with asource of power. The current from theconductors 8 passes through a transformer 12, inclosed being onefor'about every one hundred" lamps. Wires 13 and 14 extend from thetransformer, which connect respectively with spring metal terminal clips15 and 16, which are secured to .non-oonducting blocks 17, carried bythe transformer casing, as

shown in Fig. 4, and the clips 15 and 16 are adapted to engage theconductor bars 8 and 9 respectively. Thus a current of high voltageenteringthe transformer from the conductors 8, through the Wires 13,passes into the conductors 9' through the-wires 14,

-at't-hei'equired voltage for lamps of a given candle power.

The electric current entering the trans former12 may be, and usually is,that of a citys electric light system. It enters the conductors 8 at 110volts, and the transformer lowers the voltage so that the current flowsthrough the wires 14 into the conluctors 9 at 10 volts. The 10-voltcurrent of the conductors 9 is adapted to the use of electric lamps thatare provided with tungsten filaments and the 110 volt current of thesmaller wires and terminalstrips are adapted to the use-of lamps havingcarbon filaments. 1 s

The letter blocks 18 consist of fiat top rectangular shaped blocks ofany suitable material, preferably galvanized iron ortin having sides andends and bein preferably open underneath between its si es and ends. Theraised outlines of a letter or a letter in relief is secured on eachblock and these raised letters 18 are provided with aperture'sfor thereception of electric incandesqent lamps. Each block contains preferablybut one letter, but, if desired, blocks may be made large enough toreceive two or more letters or symbols. The letter blocks are removablysecured to the-edges of their supporting frame in the following manner:The upper and lower ends of each block form flanges 19, which prpjcctbeyond the end of the block, proper, and are adapted to rest against thetop opposing inner edges 20 of the top and bottom moldings of the frame;and the blocks are held and secured against these edges by any suitablemeans, but pieferablyby turn-buttons 21, that are motmted in the blockupon stems 22, close to the end flanges of the blocks. These stems arerotatably mounted in the blocks in any suitable manner, and the ends ofthe stems above the top surface of the blocks are provided with thumbpieces 23 to enable an operator to grasp them and turn the stems andturnbuttons, the thumb pieces being arranged to stand'on the stemsparallel to the turn-but tons. Slots 23 are cut through the ends of theblocks to permit the turn-button pins to be swung around through them toengage the under sides of the edges 20 of the moldings of the frame, bywhich the blocks are locked to the supporting frame. The transformerblocks are also equipped with similar turn-buttons.

- The letter carrying blocks are electrically connected to the conductorbars 9, and my inventioncontemplates in this respect any operativeterminal contacting device mounted on the letter carrying blocks bymeans of which a circuit maybe formed through the lamps, and while anumber of different contacting terminals for accomplishing this objectcan be attached to the letter carrying blocks, I preferably carry outthis feature of my invention in the following manner: In two oppositecorners of the under side of each letter block, are secured in anysuitable manner, preferably by bolts, insulating blocks 25, to each ofwhich I detachably secure a yoke-shaped form of spring clip 26, the twoblades of which are made of resilient conductive metal. The two bladesof these terminal clips are formed with outwardly curved ends to enablethem to straddle the edges of the conductor rails or bars 9 of theframe, and they are formed close enough together to leave a narrowerpassage-way be- '9 tween them than the thicknessof the conductorbars, sothat when they are down over the free edges of the said bars they willspring apart and clamp their opposite sides with a resilient frictionalclamping tension that will make an electric current connection betweenthem and the said conductor bars. I

These terminal contact clips project from. the blocks far enough. tostraddle the free edges of the conductor bars 9 in cases where tungstenfilament lamps are to be used, but where carbon filament lamps are used,the clips are spaced to engage the conductors 8. Thus, if tungstenfilament lamps are to be used, these yokeshaped contact terminals arearranged in direct alinement with the center of each of the free edgesof the larger conductor strips 9, which receive a ten volt current fromthe transformer, and when the letter carrying blocks are in their lockedpositions in the frame their contact terminals are in operative circuitengagement with the strip 9, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. If, however, itis desired to use carbon filement lamps, a volt current should be usedand the insulating blocks and their clips are secured to the lettercarrying blocks in positions to permit the yoke terminals to engage thefree edges of the narrower conductor strips 8 of theframe, as will beunderstood. y

The contact clips are connected by suitablejcircuit wires 27 and '28 totwo fuse plug sockets 29 and 30 respectively, fron which circuit wiresextend to the plurality of elec I poses for different subjects.

ftric lamp sockets 81, that form outlines of the sign letter or symbolon the under side of the top surface of each block, the sockets beingsecured to the under side of the top surface of each letter carryingbloek by any suitable means but preferably by screws 32. These socketsextend through apertures in the top of the block into the center of thewidth of the limbs of the letter to be illuminated which is formed onthe topor outer surface of each block in any suitable manner or of anysuitable material. I preferably, however, form in relief 011 the blockshollow letters, of any suitable material, and secure them by anysuitable means to the outer surface of -,the block, and these lettersare provided with apertures that registenwith the sockets and which areadaptedft'o receive the threaded plug end of the lamps which extendloosely through them and screw into the sockets.

The letters are painted or formed to give a distinct outline from thesurface of the block on which they arelaced. The words are spaced byspacing b ocks, one or more of which maybe transformers, according-tothe number of words in the sign, and which are provided with the lockingturn-buttons and are otherwise arranged to fit the sign frame.

My invention is adapted to display electrically illuminated and outlinedinterchangeable word signs for advertising pur- The changing of theletters to form a new word or combination of words, is easily andquickly accomplished, and that without the ineonveir ience incident tothe disconnecting of Wires bers and transverse connecting bars,rectangular lamp receiving blocks and rectangular spacing blockssupported between the said side members, a transformer supported by oneof said spacing blocks, pairs of parallel conductor bars conn'ected tothe frame and insulated therefrom, one ear in each pair being connectedwith a current supply, friction clips on the block having thetransformer, which engage the conductor bars and wires connecting saidclips with the transformer, friction clips on the lamp blocks engagingthe conductors not connected with the current supply, and lamp socketsin the lamp blocks in circuit with the said clips. y

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. ELLIS. lVitnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. Fem/LE.

